What would you do if someone walked into a funeral and told all the mourners to leave? What if the same person requested the body of the departed to be taken out of the grave? This is actually what Jesus did when He attended a funeral.Pastor Chris Fluitt shares with us 3 shocking stories of Jesus ruining funerals.

Welcome back to Redemption Church in Plano TX! My name is Chris Fluitt. I am thankful for all the people who could meet with us in person. And I am also thankful for everyone who is meeting with us digitally. I have heard from people from my hometown of Waco, TX this week saying that they have been enjoying doing the 3 things with us. Welcome to everyone as we (1) worship God, (2) receive God’s Word, and (3) talk to God.

Dearly beloved we are here today to lay some things to rest… We are in the 3rd week of our sermon series called Funeral.

Funeral

Losing a loved one is stressful, and planning the funeral of a loved one is even more stressful.

Funerals are not easy to plan. There is a lot to take care of in preparing a funeral. You need to find a funeral home to help you take care of the body. You need to pick out a casket and find a speaker. You need to write an obituary and have it sent to the local paper. You need to pick the cemetery and the spot of the last resting place. And then you need to let people know the news that there is going to be a funeral.

You must invite people to the funeral.

Never invite someone to a funeral who will not honor the purpose of the funeral. The purpose of the funeral is to honor the dead as you lay them to rest. Anyone who can’t honor the purpose of the funeral should not be invited.

If the purpose of the funeral is to honor the dead as you lay them to rest, I have to warn you about inviting a certain someone.

Jesus ruins funerals

I love you Jesus, but you sure know how to mess up a funeral.

Think about it. You have paid the flower people, the funeral home, the cemetery plot… you have issued the obituary and invited the guests… you have bought the casket… everyone dressed up ready for a eulogy and then this guy named Jesus comes and just wrecks the whole plan.

Today I want to read you 3 stories in your Bible where Jesus ruined a funeral.

Luke 8:41 (NIV) Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 

Luke 8:42 (NIV) because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 

Luke 8:49 (NIV) While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” 

Luke 8:50 (NIV) Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 

Luke 8:51 (NIV) When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 

Luke 8:52 (NIV) Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 

Luke 8:53 (NIV) They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 

Luke 8:54 (NIV) But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 

Luke 8:55 (NIV) Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 

A religious leader, a leader of the synagogue, fell at the feet of Jesus and begs Jesus to come to his house and heal his little girl. Even while Jesus is speaking news came that Jairus’ daughter is now dead. Someone says “don’t bother the teacher,” as if to suggest that because his daughter had died he was now wasting the time of Jesus by speaking of his daughter.

Jesus encourages Jairus. Jesus says “don’t be afraid, just believe, and she will be healed.”

As Jesus arrives at Jairus’ home, it is apparent that a funeral had already begun. Luke 8:52 says people were wailing & mourning for the...